Death of York RL forward John Henderson

FORMER York Rugby League Club favourite John Henderson has died, aged 84.

Hard man Henderson, from Maryport in Cumbria, signed for York in January 1958 for a transfer fee of £2,700.

A Great Britain tourist, the prop or second-row forward played 50 times for the club, scoring four tries, between 1958 and the 1959-60 season.

Henderson had started his career with Workington in 1950, playing 106 games and scoring 13 tries, but he missed out on their 1951 Championship final win and 1952 Challenge Cup final success at Wembley.

He was a typically tough, no-nonsense and rugged Cumbrian forward, not averse to seeing the odd red card.

He made his Cumberland debut in 1952 and represented England in 1953. Henderson was part of the 1954 GB tour to Australia and New Zealand, playing in 11 non-Test matches, before joining Halifax in a £2,000 move in January 1955.

He made 91 appearances for a strong Fax team, scoring six tries, in the following three years and played in their 1956 Challenge Cup final defeat by St Helens and 1955 Championship final loss to Hull.

He also won two Yorkshire League titles at Thrum Hall and played in their 1956 Yorkshire Cup final draw with Hull - getting sent off. Fax won the replay.

Henderson passed away in hospital last month after being unable to recover from a fall at his home in Huddersfield.